as in acrimonious
having or showing deep-seated resentment
a rancorous autobiography in which the author heaps blame on just about everyone who had the misfortune of knowing him
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Recent Examples of rancorous
The timing of the announcement appeared not to be coincidental, coming as Disney reached a rancorous carriage impasse with YouTube TV.
—
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
Many team officials have voiced worry that the next labor stoppage could take longer and become more rancorous.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
The conversations were spirited and robust but hardly rancorous.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
But the film could have used more of the rancorous triangle formed by Enrichetta, her mother and Duse’s monastically devoted and territorial Austrian assistant, Desiree (Fanni Wrochna).
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
Many team officials have voiced worry that the next labor stoppage could take longer and become more rancorous.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
The conversations were spirited and robust but hardly rancorous.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
But the film could have used more of the rancorous triangle formed by Enrichetta, her mother and Duse’s monastically devoted and territorial Austrian assistant, Desiree (Fanni Wrochna).
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
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His acrimonious exit from Chelsea still lingers, and facing his former club with a place in the last 16 at stake adds extra motivation.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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Axios reported last month that Noem and Homan have a tense and acrimonious working relationship.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, members of Congress are likely to face some angry, dissatisfied voters — with the year’s first major primary day fast approaching on March 3.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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But the attempt at humor didn’t satisfy some angry fans who believe Mets President David Stearns swindled Getz in a trade that essentially was a salary dump.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Jimmy Butler was lost for the season last week with a torn ACL, and trade candidate Jonathan Kuminga has been unable to play while battling a sore knee.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2026
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Sacramento, which by all rights should be rebuilding, put themselves on course to be over the luxury tax next season by adding a 28-year old with sore knees while giving up a 26-year-old whose next contract will likely be for half as much.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Its leader, Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister and bitter Hasina rival, the late Khaleda Zia, has since returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of exile and now appears the frontrunner to win.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Their 32 points after 25 games have them one above their Sunday hosts and bitter rivals in 13th place in the Premier League, nine clear of the relegation zone.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In his experiences and chronicles of the great ideological battles of the twentieth century, Curzio Malaparte was a shape-shifter—pitiless, clinical, cynical, unsentimental, indifferent to morality and idealism.—
Leah Downey,
The New York Review of Books,
7 Feb. 2026
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That didn’t happen, not least because of the cynical fecklessness of regional powers.—
Juan Pablo Spinetto,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hong Chau is a great choice for the adult Nelly, a quietly resentful sort who causes more friction in Cathy and Heathcliff's tempestuous situation.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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Feeling bored, resentful and trapped by domestic life, Hedda hatches a plan to destroy her husband’s potential career rival, Eilert Lovberg, who happens to be her ex-lover.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In the end, Assad’s embittered loyalists may have been right.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Dejected and embittered, Carol returns to her unlikely ally Manousos (Carlos-Manuel Vesga) to begrudgingly save the world.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Residents in South El Monte were ordered to shelter in place for roughly five hours Wednesday as more than 100 firefighters battled a massive blaze at a warehouse complex that sent a dark plume of smoke into the air and emitted an acrid chemical smell.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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Usually, the scent of their acrid urine will give them away sooner or later.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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